RIM

The BlackBerry Storm is out

Paul Mah — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:10:07 -0500

The BlackBerry Storm is RIM's first touch screen smartphone, and runs on version 4.7 of the BlackBerry operating system. What is unique about the Storm is its "SurePress" touch screen, which provides realistic tactile feedback akin to that of an actual button. In addition, the Smartphone incorporates a wide variety of new, touch-based keyboard and device shortcuts--not to mention gesture-based navigation methods.

Now that it has finally been released, we put together some links of what others are saying about it.

Check out these write-ups, reviews and comparison sites:

Our initial news report of the touchscreen Blackberry Storm
BlackBerry Storm available for $199
Check out this slideshow of the RIM BlackBerry Storm
MobileBurn does a video review of the Storm
Sales figures for the BlackBerry Storm look strong so far
Have a look at this comparison of the BlackBerry Storm with the G1 and iPhone 3G
Shortage of BlackBerry Storms causes price of RIM stock to fall

Existence of Windows Mobile 6.5 confirmed

Paul Mah — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:04:32 -0500

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave the official confirmation of the existence of Windows Mobile 6.5, while speaking at a conference in Australia this week. With no previous indication that there would be another release before the highly-anticipated Windows Mobile 7 upgrade, this came as a surprise to many in the community.

The dates were dropped at a Q&A session as Steve Ballmer responded to a question about what plans Microsoft has to stay competitive against companies such as RIM and Apple. As he highlighted the Microsoft roadmap, Ballmer said, "And with releases we'll make this year, releases we'll make with Windows Mobile 6.5 next year, Windows Mobile 7, I think we've got a pretty interesting roadmap." It should be noted that Windows Mobile 7 was originally slated for early 2009, and has been pushed back to an undetermined date.

For more on this story:
- check out this article from BetaNews

The rise of application stores for mobile software

Paul Mah — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:05:23 -0400

Probably as a result of pressure from Apple's highly successful application store, the maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, Research In Motion (RIM), has unveiled an application storefront for the BlackBerry operating system. Indeed, Google also announced an Android Market earlier, which will serve as an online center for its open-source operating system. Not to be outdone, Microsoft has also been spotted posting job advertisements for new staff for a Windows Mobile related "Skymarket" service. As expected, carriers are not keen to give application developers free reign on this lucrative front. At this point however, there appears to be nothing much they can do against this inexorable trend. Principal analyst Charles Golvin at Forrester Research believes that wireless carriers can already "see the writing on the wall." The upside, of course, is carriers will still make money on their data plans.

To read more about mobile application stores:
- check out this article from CNET News

Its official: Touchscreen BlackBerry Storm announced

Paul Mah — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:53:45 -0400

On Tuesday, Research in Motion officially unveiled the first touch-screen smartphone in its history. Known as the BlackBerry Storm, or 9500, this new BlackBerry is a 3G device and comes with a "responsive touch screen" that attempts to simulate the tactile experience of actual hardware buttons for a better experience with its on-screen keyboard. In addition, a built-in accelerometer allows a seamless transition between portrait and landscape mode. Beyond its trademark push mail capabilities, the smartphone comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera that can be used to take photos and record videos. The BlackBerry Storm will be available from Verizon sometime in November.

For more about the BlackBerry Storm:
- check out the article at ZDNet blogs

Microsoft reiterates that it will not make handsets

Paul Mah — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:13:10 -0400

Even as the first Google G1 Android phone launched and Apple looked set to sell between 10 to 12 million iPhones this year, Microsoft's group product manager for Windows Mobile, Scott Rockfeld, remained adamant that Microsoft there are "no plans to build our own phone." He added that, "Right now we're happy to share the limelight." So far, Microsoft's strategy has worked well. Fiscal year 2008 saw Microsoft's partners shipping 18 million units, up from 11 million the year before. Still, competitors like RIM are certainly ratcheting up the pressure by releasing more consumer-centric headsets. Barely two years into the market, Apple too, has managed to garner an incredible momentum, if not in absolute numbers, certainly in mindshare. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft will attempt to tweak its strategy in the near future.

To read more on this topic:
- check out this article from Silicon Alley Insider

RIM jumps past Windows Mobile in 2Q 2008

Paul Mah — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:21:15 -0400

The latest numbers from Gartner are out, and though almost every platform saw increased sales for devices, the big winner here appears to be RIM. While Windows Mobile increased its share slightly, RIM has almost doubled its share to 17.4 percent since this time last year. This represents an almost 5 percent lead on Windows Mobile, which is surprising given the enhancements that Microsoft has put into it. In addition, handset manufacturers such as HTC have provided some pretty outstanding phone designs based on Windows Mobile. Certainly, support for non-work related usage, such as support for audio and video content, is surely helping the previously enterprise-centric only device along. It remains to be seen how the second half of 2008 will go, with the launch of the Bold as well as a slew of other improved devices from RIM.

For more on the story:
- check out this jkOnTheRun article

A look at Nokia Email

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:10:42 -0400

A contributor over at Brighthand tested a new product called Nokia Email, which is the latest offering from Nokia's BetaLabs program. Nokia Email is essentially a downloaded application that connects to a service back end. In its current iteration, it has support for email accounts from Google, Yahoo (some countries only), and a few other webmail services, excluding Microsoft's Hotmail/Live service. Described as a product that functions well, it works by querying Nokia's service, which in turn connects to the desired email accounts.

To put it more concisely, it works just like the RIM-pioneered BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS). You might recall that Nokia recently stopped distributing the BlackBerry Connect application on its mmartphones; now you know why. Nokia Email is free, and you can download it here. It remains in beta, though the word "beta" is, more often than not, just a marketing tag.

Check out the full Nokia Email Review here:
- check out this article from Brighthand

Microsoft predicts 'huge growth' ahead for Windows Mobile

Paul Mah — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:21:33 -0400

Microsoft is predicting that global sales of devices running on its Windows Mobile platform will grow more than 50 percent by the end of the fiscal year in 2009. The company expects to sell 20 million Windows Mobile units by the 2008 fiscal year, which ends next month. Not everyone is optimistic however. Citigroup analyst Kevin Chang noted that Microsoft's Windows Mobile faces an uphill battle, and that even a 50 percent annual growth might not be sufficient to break the stranglehold of Nokia's Symbian. To further complicate matters, both Apple and RIM are expected to release new versions 3G-enabled versions of their smartphones within the next few months.

For more on Microsoft's Windows Mobile:
- check out the CNET News.com article

Is RIM capable of releasing more than one BlackBerry model at a time?

Paul Mah — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:59:50 -0400

Robb Dunewood argues that the three or four variants of each released BlackBerry model really amount to pretty much the same thing. Could RIM capture an even bigger slice of the worldwide market if they just released more models? Article

RIM: Qwerty keyboards all the rage

Paul Mah — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:21:03 -0400

Speaking with a reporter sometime during the WES 2008 event last week, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis shared some of his views pertaining to the increasing ubiquitous smartphone. When it comes to the touchscreen, which received a shot in the arm from Apple's implementation on the iPhone, Lazaridis noted that he has used numerous touchscreen devices since the mid-90s--including the very first ones found on devices from Sharp, NEC and Palm.

He was unanimous that a full Qwerty keyboard is still "the most exciting mobile trend" to date. More than email alone, the Facebook and instant messaging generation are likely to walk away from a shop with a BlackBerry as a direct result of its superior keyboard interface. Lazaridis said, "What I watched was the whole industry eventually had to license our keyboard technology."

For more on what Lazaridis has to say:
- check out this ZDNet article